


Shan Must Wed

by JeanieT



Category: Liaden Universe - Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
Genre: Gen, contract marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-15 05:50:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13024587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JeanieT/pseuds/JeanieT
Summary: Nova lays out the meaning of the word Necessity.She didn't let Shan off of his marriage requirement when they finally met up on Lytaxin.(Plan B)





	Shan Must Wed

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place in the middle of Plan B, on planet Lytaxin while they’re guests in the Erob house, Miri's genetic clan. It’s a little out of sequence, and it assumes Shan and Priscilla haven’t already cried lifemates at this point, waiting for clan approval.

Nova stood, with hands behind her back. “It has to be you, Shan.”

“No.” His voice was barely more than a whisper.

“I’m sure you’ve noticed,” Nova continued, “Korval is at war. We have very few options available to us and we must have allies.”

“We have allies! Entire economic entities! There is no clan with more connections to finantial and exploratory agencies. There is no Liaden pilot who has no affilliation with our family, who does not owe us.”

“Shan. Look around us. We are here on Lytaxin guesting in the clan home of our oldest allies, and I am beset, beset Shan, by Erob herself on a daily basis, her demands clarifying her position that she wishes to uninvite us. Her tactics are becoming less polite, and require extreme measures.”

“You cannot, I beg you sister, be seriously thinking of another marriage with Erob. We’ve only just had a lifemating announced between us.”

“Yes, Shan. They’ve only just had a daughter of the clan returned to them and then stolen away without profit in the same grand motion. Without dowry, without contract, without so much as a by your leave. If that’s not the sort of insult that leads to the permanant breaking of alliances, I do not know what might be. And rest assured, if we do not act before this godsdamn war is over, we will have a broken alliance, of that I have been oh so subtly assured.”

Shan sagged against the wall. “I will not. I cannot. Sister, this … what you ask is not something I may physically do.”

“Physically, you will, Shan,” said Nova, her voice low and serious. She pressed her lips together. “Necessity. I cannot be any more clear.”

Shan tapped his fingers. “You, Nova. You have no lifemate. It cannot be nearly so impossible for you to take this burden in my place.”

Nova came several steps closer and touched her brother’s arm. “Not impossible, Shan. Necessary. Not in your place though, but in addition.” 

He raised his head in surprise. “Oh Nova, you will never tell me that the necessity is so dire we must have two contracts between our clans to make a balance.”

She shook her head, Terran style. “My contract was signed before we entered Lytaxin space, with Clan Ixxen. He was to join me on my ship, so as to minimize inconvenience to me, and his would be the child of course. Except that we’ve had to delay the contract now for obvious reasons. But the outstanding balance makes me ineligible to contract with Erob.”

The trikle of pond water sounded loud in Shan’s ears. “I do not,” he said finally, “care.” Nova stiffened, but Shan went on. “What I have promised to Priscilla is sacred, Nova, it’s part of my soul. You heard Anthea describe it, she said she can sense Priscilla through me, like an echo, like the bond Valcon and Miri have. And I cannot see my own bond thought my healer sense, Nova, but when I look at the bond between Valcon and Miri … it glows. Nova, this contract will … it will damage my soul, and Pricilla’s. I cannot allow it.”

Nova balled her hands, but stood her ground, not allowing her brow to furrow. Shan just bet she was gloating in her head about how she’d managed to inherit the fantastic Liaden calm, whereas he was as excitable as their Terran mother. He bet she just itched to say it, but wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. “We are fighting for our lives, Shan,” she said finally. “I would count soul damage as a more acceptable loss than the lives of my clan members.”

Shan glared at her, speachless for a moment. He didn’t realize he was holding his breath until it came in a gasping rush and he covered his face as it crumpled in emotion. 

“I am not insensitive to your pain, brother,” she said. “Priscilla is as dear a sister to me as Anthea, and the harm you both will take … haunts me. Yet here I sit, first speaker, and I see no other way.”

“Have you considered,” Shan said, his voice a cracked whisper, “that I might rather be clanless?”

Nova froze. “You don’t mean that,” she said.

“Ah, but I do,” he said, a little more firmly. “My lifemate and I will ease your haunted spirit and retire to Sintia, her homeworld. There is some balance we two have meant to undertake there anyway that has been put off too long.”

Nova breathed, her face reddening. “You and I both have left our heirs with Kareen. I personally feel the loss every moment. Are you telling me you are willing to abandon Padi? Leave her halfling without a father?”

Shan’s face pinched in anger. “Padi is already a halfling without a father, right now. She is competant and I have every confidence she will perservere without me.”

“And how,” Nova asked, her voice midnight dangerous, “do you expect to get there, without Korval ships, without the money you hold in the name of Korval, without Korval access to shipping supply caches? How in fact do you expect to escape this planet with your life, after actively thwarting a contract necessary for the good of the lead planetary clan, and then having your death made fact, with only the detail of melanti balance to make it reality?”

Shan gasped again and closed his eyes. “For the love you bear me …” he began.

“Love, Shan?” Nova asked, her voice midnight. “Yes, I bear you love, but I find myself awash in love and duty at the moment. How shall I bear you, my brother, so much love that it makes the chances of survival for my sister, for my son, so much less? No, Shan. I cannot bear you that much love. You must make this marriage contract for the survival of clan Korval.”

“No,” he said again, for he could not think of any better argument.

“Yes,” she said, gently. 

Shan could only shake his head. 

Nova inclined her head. “Necessity,” she said.

For many moments neither spoke, Shan’s breath still loud and uncontrolled. Finally he sank to the floor. “Necessity,” he agreed, and buried his face in his arms.


End file.
